DURESS

DURESS

I worry sometimes.

Like this morning

when the sun came up

and I went for a stroll

to watch it happen.

It was calm after

yesterday’s steady wind

of forty miles an hour with

exclamation points of sixty.

We stay inside and listen

to the pines howl and moan.

This morning everything

was too smooth.

I slid out of the sheets

unentangled by folds

or pillows and to the

window where pastels

edge the knife edge,

its blade notched by

scattered trees and

gravestones along the ridge.

Thirty-two degrees,

jeans and jacket,

camera in hand, my

eyes do a nervous study.

I ride the quiet to the

fence while the clouds

step out of their creamy

pool and into tiger

orange slashes, impotent

out there in the far east

where embers became flames.

No one lives here except

the two of us, waiting.

She sleeps too much.

The doctor wants her up

and about, but she doesn’t

always feel like it.

A hundred things call

my name, yelling

“ME! ME! ME!

And demand more

attention than I

have time to give.

I don’t listen.

I bury my guilt in thoughts of

chaos out there in the citied world

where civilization,

like a black cancer,

glances my way.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Sounds as though you live in isolated parts, in a beautiful setting. Far away from the madding crowd. I don’t like city life either, even though born in the city of London. I grew out of it when I moved to the country and discovered trees, farms and wild life. I find the natural environment a great stress buster. Just step outside when the going gets tough and take a deep breath of fresh air. It must be stressful living with a loved one who is sick and needs attention. Those early morning strolls to watch the sun rise would revitalize me for what the rest of the day brings.

Chris

[Vol]

Chris!
So true...People who live in cities can never be true Romantics, they will argue for museums and theater over trees and meadows, not to mention water in babblying creeks. The great tragedy is they also own the printing pre3sses and the media, so they think they are the voice of all the rest of us.
Vol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This is so intense...alluding to the wildfires, the chaos of the world outside, the safety of the world inside, but also the gradual giving up...feeling the world is not worth facing...too much stress outside our doors.
and inside, we watch the news and the world just keeps closing in on us.
I really love the last stanza here...Burying the guilt in thoughts of chaos in the citied world.
j.

[Vol]

Thank you, Jacob...
We are all overwhelmed, and it appears brainlessness is our new cultural standard, I've not watched the news in three years, I just stopped inviting talking heads into my home to lie to me. I'm out herre, away from everything, waiting it out.

[Lorry]

The thing that stands out in this Vol is you had a camera in your hand! The one thing I detest is everyone takes their phone out to take pictures now, including myself!!! It's not my fault honest, my camera broke as well as tripled in price, because hipsters have decided going old school is cool now and it seems their is no end to my ire for these people, which I thought would have dissipated when the doctor told me I'm no longer allowed coffee. I'm sure they have all decided to haunt me too, just to piss me off! I see one coming along the street and just head back the way I came now. But enough of those complexly bearded victoriana cricketer types, I was talking about your write and they started haunting it! 😊
Let's begin again...
The calm after a storm is always a great time to be out and about. We've had glorious sunshine here all week (which is far from the norm) and already, people's faces fell with the cheek of a bit of rain showing up this morning as they were out without their usual six layers, falling for the sun's tease by getting them to expect it to last. I was okay, I was in a bookshop laughing at everyone scurrying through it like they'd melt if water touched them.as soon as the rain stopped I dashed out, looking smugly dry and well, I'm surprised the air didn't turn blue with what I heard.
How quickly we forget!
And as your words end, I see you turn to silhouette, shaking your head at those cities folk that think they know how to live and never escape their pre packaged heart attack lives.

[Vol]

Hey, Lorry!
Thank you for your thoughts! Funny you should mention the camera... I'm not a real photographer, and only have an "it will do" Sony, I've been told I have an eye for composition, mostly by people who love me... I don't take it out anymore unless I know the place I am going deserves it.

I was at the phone place earlier today, and Google has a new phone with a ridiculous camera and processor to back it up. I like the idea of having a phone camera on hand, just in case,
I love your rain story... I live in a semi-arid desert where there really isn't any reason to patch the roof if you only have a leak or two, just drag the buckets out a couple times a year. Cities around here don't even have drainage systems. I watch British TV exclusively and always chuckle when I see people there walking in a light rain without even noticing.

My resentment for cities stems from New York Citiy because all print, all film, all television ansd all art must pass through their filter. Most of those people have never even seen a tree that grew wild frpom a seed...

[W. Barrett Munn]

Powerful stuff here Vol with most left unspecified, for the reader to imagine.

Winston

[Vol]

Thanks for taking the time and your thoughts, Senor Munn!